Brazil Makes Marmomac History

VERONA, Italy – For the first time in the history of Marmomac, a country filled an entire hall. And, Brazil’s presence in Hall 1 saw 41 companies make the most of it, generating projected sales of $141 million over the next 12 months.

Leading the way in the Brazilian Pavilion were 31 companies from four Brazilian states under the auspices of It’s Natural – Brazilian Natural Stone, a project of the Brazilian Natural Stone Association (Centrorochas) in partnership with the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil).

In turn, significant numbers translated to concrete results. It’s Natural – Brazilian Natural Stone, registered more than $8 million in immediate business deals at the late September event, and projects more than $141 million over the next year.

Boosting those numbers were more than 3,000 business contacts, almost 2,000 of them new. Many international buyers were also drawn to the pavilion by the hanging gardens which marked pedestrian walkways, and a Brazilian restaurant.

Tales Machado, president of Centrorochas, says the achievement reaffirms Brazil’s place on the world’s stone stage.

“We were the spotlight on all fronts: business, innovation, sustainability and design. Brazil leaves this fair stronger and with the certainty that It’s Natural stone is known as a material of excellence in the global market,” Machado said.

Another high-profile occasion for the country was the first official meeting of the Natural Stone Strategic Alliance. The NSSA is a newly created federation comprised of Brazil, the United States, Italy, Greece, the United Kingdom and Portugal that aims to promote the use of natural stone as a sustainable building material on a global scale